Muffler for internal-combustion engines.



G. S. CLARK.

MUFFLER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

, APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1916. I

Patented May 15, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. WITNESS.

G. S. CLARK.

fmumm FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

' APPLICATION FILED-APR. 22. IBIS. V 1,225,927, Patented May 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR.

Gear 0 iai'k @VZ/Wa I WITNESS.

GEORGE S. CLARK, 0F OILFIELDS, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

MUFFLER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Patented May 15, 1917.

Application filed April 22, 1916.- Serial No. 92,858.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gnouon S. CLARK, a citizen of the United States. residing at 011- fields, in the county of Fresno, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Muillers for Internal-Combustion Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full. clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in rnufilers for the type of engines noted and is particularly designed to provide a means for muftling the noise of the exhaust from engines revolving at a high rate of speed and under high power such as those commonly used on aeroplanes and automobiles, the

mufiiing being provided for in such a man-v ner as to form no practical resistance to the exhaust gases passing from the engine.

Nearly all types of aeroplanes are now compelled to operate without mufiiers. This is due to the fact that the back pressure against the gases is such as to retard and Y lessen the necessary power of the motor when using the present make of mutliers. The noise which ensues by reason of the lack of mufflers renders the use of aeroplanes more or less annoying from a commercial standpoint and where such aeroplanes are used in time of war it enables the enemy to very readily tell the location of the aero planes which of course is very unsatisfactory. These disadvantages '1' aim to overcome by the use of my improved mufiier which is designed to handle the gases in such a manner as to muflle any of the sound due to the explosion or discharge of spent gases, and without at the same time adding back pressure or resistance to the same.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly efiective for the purposes for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of the parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.-

ln the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

' Figure 1 is a top plan view ofthe muflier partly broken out to show the points of inlet and outlet of the gases.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on a line XX of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the muiiler.

Fig. -l is a top plan view of the muflling disk.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the

numeral 1 designates the casing of the muffier which is substantially circular on its circumference, both sides of this casing being concave as shown in Fig. 2'to form two cone-shaped members 2 and 3 disposed in relatively opposite positions.

Swiveled within the centers of both of the cones 2 and 3 is a perfect ball or sphere 4 projecting through which is the mufiiing disk 5 which normally extends from engagement with the side of one cone to the side of the other cone, and which, when the ball or sphere 4 is rocked in a manner as will appear, will cause the disk to rock both vertically and circumferentially so that it will first engage the surfaces of the cones 2 and 3 in one position and then in the other and at continuously changing points of contact. The movement of the disk 5 will be impelled by the pressure of the gases as will appear.

Secured in the sphere l at a position ob liquely with respect to the vertical axis of said sphere is a projecting pin 6, swiveled within the sleeve 7 connected to which sleeve 7 is another sleeve 8 swiveled on a fixed pin 9 held centrally in bracings or reinforcing arms 10 projecting diametrically across from the top edges of the casing 1. This pin 9 extends in the same vertical line as the vertical axis of the sphere 4.

In order to prevent the pin 6 from having any rotary movement, I provide an arm -11 having a slidable joint 12, the outer end of the said pin 11 being socketed, as zit-13, in a socket 14 secured to the casing 1.

The gases from the engine pass through :asing 1 where they will be directed out through an exhaust pipe 17. The inlet opening 15 and the outlet opening 1'7 connecting with the pipes 15 and 17 respectively are made in a V-shape as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3 so that the gases may be discharged into the casing on either side of the disk 5 and likewise be discharged from either side so that the rocking movement thereof vertically and circumferentially will be uninterrupted. namely, when the disk rocks adjacent the inlet in such position that it is above such inlet then the gases will pass against the underside thereof, and when it is below the inlet the gases will pass against the upper side thereof, this continual shifting of the gases being what will keep up the rocking movement of the disk 5. This same rocking movement of the disk will gyrate the gases through the casing 1 in such a manner as to deaden or muiile the sound of the explosion thereof so that when passing out through the outlet 17 there will be no audible noise.

The disk 0 will be so perfectly pivoted and positioned by reason of the perfect sphere 4 that there will be no appreciable back pressure or frictional resistance against the gases so that mufflers can be used on aeroplane engines or other engines requiring high speeds and power. As the pin 6 gyrates around the pin 9 it will be held against any independent rotary motion by means of the arm 11 and the shifting position of such pin 6 will be compensated for by the slip joint 12. The disk 5 will of course be provided with a slot 5 to allow it to move vertically relative to the division wall 16 as it rocks.

It is to be distinctly understood that the rocking movement of the disk 5 carries with it no rotary motion of this disk 5 but such movement is merely a rocking motion, the center of the sphere 4 being the axis of the gyratory rocking movement of such pin. The movement vertically and circumferentially is superinduced by reason of the pin 6 fixed obliquely with respect to the vertical axes of the sphere 4 and pin '9 so that when the pressure of the gases acts against the disk and moves it this movement must conform relatively to the whole movement of the said spheres 4 and pin 6.

From the foregoing description it will readily be seen that I have produced such a. device as substantially fulfils the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 4

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. muiller comprising a cylindrical member having its sides concave to form two cone-shaped members disposed in opposite relation, a radial division wall in the casing, an inlet opening into the casing on one side of the division wall, an outlet leading from the casing on the opposite side of the division wall, and a disk pivoted within the casing and arranged to have a rocking motion vertically and circumfcrentiall as described.

2. A muffler comprising a cylindrical member having two concave sides forming cones disposed in opposite relation, a sphere pivoted between the cones, a pin fixed to.

the sphere obliquely with respect to its vertical axis and arranged to gyrate around the vertical axis, a disk on the sphere movable within the casing, and an inlet and outlet from the casing, as described.

3. A muffler comprising a casing having its sides formed into two cones disposed in opposite relation, a sphere pivoted between the cones, a pin fixed to the sphere obliquely with respect to the vertical axis thereof, another pin fixed to the casing in the same vertical line to the vertical axis of the sphere, a turnable sleeve on each of the pins, such sleeves being fixed together, a disk on the sphere within the casing, the casing being provided with a radial wall, and an inlet. and outlet on opposite sides of the wall, as

described.

4. A muffler comprising a casing having its sides formed into two cones disposed in opposite relation, a sphere pivoted between the cones, a pin fixed to the sphere obliquely with respect to the vertical axis thereof, another pin fixed to the casing in the same vertical line to the vertical axis of the sphere, a turnable sleeve on each of the pins, such sleeves being fixed together, a disk on the sphere within the casing, the casin being provided with a radial wall, an in ct and outlet on oppositesides of the wall, anarm connected with the first named pin and socks eted to the casing, such arm being provided with a slip joint, as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE s. CLARK. 

